
Member Reviews

The first of Marvel crime novels with one follows Jessica Jones as she solves the mystery of what happened one summer to a set of twins who went from normal teens to perfect versions of themselves.
This one was a thrill ride as Jessica figures of the mystery of how the teens became changed. You don’t have to know all the lore of the MCU to understand this novel but some basics help. Even without that is a fun mystery novel following a private detective as she unravels the mystery. I found the adventure a lot of fun and I can’t wait to read more in this series!

Lisa Jewell is one of my favorite authors. I think I have read most of her books. This book was not her usual style, but a whole new direction. I really cannot give this book an unbiased review as this genre is not one I would read. When I requested it, I assumed that this book was one of Lisa Jewell's books written like her previous books. I do thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for giving me this ARC for my review.

I loved the general plot. It really had me in a chokehold. I am unsure if the author had planned to get the vibe of Jessica Jones from the series but there was a bit that was off. A few phrases were definitely a bit too girly for Jessica, but overall it was fantastic. I love it!

I am not a crime novel girl or a Marvel girl for all that matter but when the opportunity came up to read this book by Lisa Jewell, I couldn't resist. This book follows Jessica Jones as a Private Investigator. The story itself really grabs you and sucks you in and you CANNOT stop reading. For someone who isn't all that familiar with this type of genre, I absolutely loved it. Thank you so much Net Galley and Lisa Jewell for the ARC.

Let me start by saying I went into this book blind, I saw Lisa Jewell and got excited because I love her as a writer. About 10% into this I got a little confused and then I realized it was Marvel, I know very little about marvel and very little about this character, HOWEVER, I feel like to read this book you really don’t need to know much about marvel. There were a couple times I became a little confused but overall I really enjoyed this book. It has all the mystery, relationships, and other aspects Lisa jewell books normally have and it was a pretty fast read once I hit the 15% mark. The beginning is slow but after that it picks up and it’s a fun and interesting story!

I was sucked in a first but things got complicated and a little unreal for me so you lost me a bit. I like this author but this was not one of my favs, will probably not read book 2 in the series.

I had no idea what this book was about when I requested it from NetGalley. All I knew that it was Lisa Jewell and I pretty much read anything she writes and is one of my favorite authors. I also am very ignorant when it comes to Marvel Comics. I didn't know who Jessica Jones or what her story was and I had to google her. While this is so different from your typical Lisa Jewell thriller I very much enjoyed it. I do like that she ventured out of her usual genre. Jessica Jones is a depressed, broke and very flawed character. She's a private investigator hired to find twins. And the adventure continues from there. While all of the other Lisa Jewell books I can't put down right from the start, this one was a bit slow to start. But I did overall enjoy it. Thank you so much to NetGalley for allowing me access to this book.

The book intrigued me just because it is by Lisa Jewell.
Then with its alluring plot line and being a Marvel based series I was hooked. Not your typical mystery but it kept me intrigued.
This was action packed with a supernatural wild ride.
thank you netgalley for the ARC for an honest review.

I’m a big Lisa Jewell fan so I was excited to get this ARC from NetGalley. When I realized it was about a Marvel super hero, I was less excited but gave it a try. I enjoyed it for the first half - a unique story- but then it seemed to drag. The resolution became obvious, and I think the book could be shortened without losing any major story points.

i generally am not really a Marvel person. but this book wasn't a traditional Marvel either. it was really mostly a horror/mystery that reminded me more of something along the lines of a fusion of Rouge by Mona Awad and None of This is True by Jewell. Jessica was an awesome protag (although a lot more hapless/unprepared than I'd have expected a PI to be) and the mystery was well-told. 4 stars. tysm for the arc, and I'm excited for the next one.

Jessica Jones is back, and this case is seriously messed up. A mother swears her teenage twins aren’t really her kids anymore—too perfect, too calm, and obsessed with a girl named Belle.
Jessica follows the trail to a creepy British village, where Belle lives in an isolated farmhouse with a woman who seems off. The town is full of secrets, and Jessica knows something dark is lurking beneath the surface.
This book is classic Jessica—sharp, gritty, and full of twists. If you love supernatural mysteries, small-town horror, and badass investigators, this one’s for you. 🔍💀📖

As a longtime fan of Lisa Jewell and a huge Marvel enthusiast—especially when it comes to Jessica Jones—I was both nervous and excited about Breaking the Dark. Bringing together two of my favorites felt like a big risk, but Jewell absolutely delivered.
She painted the perfect picture of Jessica Jones, seamlessly blending her signature mystery style with Jessica’s sharp internal monologue. The transitions between past and present were smooth and easy to follow, keeping the tension high without confusion.
The mystery itself held up well, keeping me engaged from start to finish. And Jessica? She was a perfect blend of her comic and TV portrayals—gritty, complex, and undeniably her.
If Jewell chooses to write another Jessica Jones novel, I’ll be first in line. But if this is the only one, it stands solidly on its own. A must-read for both Lisa Jewell and Marvel fans alike.

This books is way out of my comfort zone. I thought since it was Lisa Jewell I could get into it. I was wrong. It’s a DNF at 16%. I tried to trudge along but it was not working for me.
I will continue to read Lisa Jewell books though because she’s a fabulous writer, but won’t be reading this series.

I’m not a big Marvel fan and don’t know much about Marvel characters. I requested “Breaking the Dark” from NetGalley because I’m a Lisa Jewell fan and enjoy most of her books - including this one!! This had the darkness of other Jewell novels: villains who knew they were bad, villains who thought they were doing bad things for a good cause, mysteries for the main character to solve before it’s too late. I enjoyed Jessica Jones and how her backstory was revealed, how it impacted her in this story, and getting to see her character growth to overcome trauma and learn to trust people.

Breaking the Dark is a thrilling, unique mystery that brings Jessica Jones, a retired superhero turned private investigator, into a gripping new case. The story of the mysteriously altered twins keeps you on edge, blending suspense with a supernatural twist. It’s a must-read for fans of dark, inventive thrillers with strong, complex characters. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I love Marvel. Well, Marvel movies. I thought this was an interesting story. I have never seen the Jessica Jones show on Netflix or read any comics, so I wasn't sure what to expect and didn't go into the book with any expectations. I thought it was pretty good. Jessica Jones was a broken and yet relatable heroine that made the book enjoyable to me.
Was this an all time favorite book? No. Was it my favorite Lisa Jewell book? No. Did I enjoy it? Yes.

At 61% I could not keep reading this book. I was so confused about several parts of the story and the entire thing felt very disjointed. When it became apparent some of the things going on were far-fetched and unrealistic I couldn’t keep reading. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I doubt I’ll be a fan. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

👉🏼 Multiple POV
🔀 Non linear timeline
Two things immediately came to mind:
1. Oh! Lisa Jewel has a book coming out soon!
2. OMG MARVEL?! I’m a huge fan
I was SO EXCITED to get this as an ARC. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the opportunity to read and review.
*** This is absolutely not what Lisa usually writes. So, please understand that going into this book or you will likely be disappointed. ***
“Perfection isn't a goal. Perfection is a scam.”
I really enjoyed this book. The entire premise about perfection is so entirely relatable with the onslaught of media and advertising and social media influencers. To see the theme morph into a Marvel crime novel was a nice spin. Jessica Jones was the perfect character to tackle this investigation and work her way through her own past trauma throughout.
I absolutely recommend this book for Marvel fans!

I loved the Jessica Jones series on Netflix and I love Lisa Jewell! However, Lisa Jewell writing as Jessica Jones, not so much. I couldn't finish it as I felt like it could be something my middle schooler could have written. I understand Jessica's personality and humor but this just wasn't hitting it for me. I feel like, possibly, if I had never read anything from Lisa Jewell that I might have been able to finish it, but probably not.

I was lucky to receive an ARC of Breaking the Dark by Lisa Jewell through NetGalley. I've read Lisa's work before, and this felt a bit different from the last book I read by her. Despite being thrown off at first, I ultimately found this book really exciting.
I have to admit, it started out kinda choppy, and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to get into it. I’m not sure if that was because the writing felt a little disjointed at times or because this was my first Marvel novel. But thankfully, I got over that quickly once the plot really started plotting.
Lisa did a great job of keeping the story exciting while staying true to Jessica Jones’ character. I loved how she captured Jessica’s voice and attitude—it felt familiar. I can’t say for sure if I would have enjoyed this as much if I wasn’t already familiar with Jessica’s character, but having that pre-existing visual of her and knowing her personality definitely made the reading experience better for me.
That said, I do wish the ending had been flushed out a bit more. Without giving anything away, I wanted a little more closure on what happened to the villain(s), especially since we got their POVs throughout the book.
Overall, a fun and fast-paced read that kept me entertained!